Las Vegas Recreational Marijuana Travelers Guide

The Laws Regarding the Sale and Use of Recreational Marijuana in Las Vegas

There are several state laws in Nevada that surround the recreational use of cannabis in and around Las Vegas by legal and recreational Las Vegas Dispensary cannabis shops. It has been an ongoing ordeal for the past three years as medical marijuana has been legalized in the various regions within the state of Nevada. It was until the beginning of July last year (2017) that the sale of recreational marijuana started in certain areas of the state. This was all part of the law that took effect, rendering any persons 21 years old or older that have a valid ID the ability to legally purchase this drug in these regions for any recreational purposes. Two such areas where this legalization has occurred is Reno and Las Vegas.

In years past, there have been regions in Nevada that have essentially banned any sale of marijuana in the recreational form. Two of the regions, Green Valley and Henderson City, have voted previously to ban the sales for a short, six month period beginning in February of 2017. In October of 2017, the sales started up again, and recreational marijuana was back on the market from several dispensaries that sell the stuff recreationally.

One other thing that did nothing to curb the sale of recreational weed is the constant tourism that Nevada experiences because of Las Vegas. This leads to many customers that are interested in purchasing the drug where it is legal, but it also lifts up the question of whether there should be tourist laws for the sale of the recreational drug. In all truth, it doesn’t matter whether the buyer is a tourist or a resident because neither demographic requires a medical card to legally purchase the marijuana. As long as the buyer has a valid ID card and they are 21 years old or older, they can legally purchase the drug in Nevada. Medical cards still provide benefits for the buyers who hold them which might include something like reduced Las Vegas marijuana taxes on the purchase.

The Laws in Nevada Concerning How the Drug is Sold Around Las Vegas

Currently, there are two locations within and near Las Vegas that are selling recreational marijuana. They are owned by the Source NV Dispensaries. There is still another Nevada dispensary that is located just north of the city, with the face of the business looking at the Trump International Hotel. Many of the dispensaries within the state are not bound by the Las Vegas laws that govern the ability to give customers with a real medical need the option to skip the line to get their cannabis immediately. The dispensaries owned by The Source NV offers patients a paid privilege to skip the lines.

The local laws for both the Henderson location and the North Las Vegas location enable this dispensary to remain open for as many hours a day as they please. The one directly on the Las Vegas Strip is required to close their doors for a few hours each day, starting at 3 am and opening back up at 7 am. However, other marijuana dispensaries along the Strip stay closed for a much longer stretch of time than most.

Anyone in the state of Nevada can purchase a single ounce of the drug in just one purchase, and over a stretch of time, that same individual can purchase various ounces over a given period. People that use the cannabis drug are actually subject to a higher restriction for as much as they can legally own, as long as they are not prescribed the marijuana for a medical condition. Those that use it medically can possess up to 2.5 ounces of the flower and 10,000 milligrams of the concentrates (tetrahydrocannabinol). Those that use it for a recreational purpose are only allowed 1 ounce of the flower and 2,975 milligrams of the concentrate.

The Law Regarding when Marijuana can be Used

Both tourists and locals can purchase recreational marijuana as long as they meet the age requirement and hold a valid ID. However, the odds for a tourist to lawfully consumer this drug are not high in their favor. While residents can generally legally imbibe the pot on their property, public locations are exempt from this like bars or casinos. There are some fines that can be issued to any persons caught committing this infraction. There are a few hotels that might allow their guests to consume the cannabis in their rented hotel rooms, but there are penalties and harsh fines there as well, like being expelled from the hotel room. These can be imposed on any guest at a hotel.

One response to the creation of the legalizing laws has opened up brand new lounges for social gatherings that are slowly creeping across the state to allow tourists a place to legally enjoy their weed. There is even a mobile lounge that is reached Nevada that opened in Las Vegas and Reno just last year. There was set to be still another establishment to open up in January of 2018.

It has become more legal in the state of Nevada to use marijuana secretly in public locations where the standardized use of the drug is actually illegal. Being caught doing this can cause the user to be faced with a hefty financial fine. Those that lace food with the drug can be given a ticket if they are caught, and consuming it through a vaporizer pen is grounds for a ticket as well.

The Vehicle Laws in Nevada Regarding Marijuana

Just because the law restricts the use of recreational marijuana in Nevada to private property does not mean that one can use it in their car. In fact, just because the car is registered to the owner, the state law says that marijuana consumption within any vehicle is against the laws.

Just like with alcohol, marijuana can be transported by using a vehicle so long as the substance is out of reach of the driver or any minors within the vehicle. Typically, this means the trunk of the vehicle. Still, the drug is not stored in a sealed receptacle; the owner can be punished for an open-container infraction. Users cannot transport marijuana from one state to another, regardless of the fact that the drug was purchased legally or which state it is brought to. The substance cannot be brought into or from Nevada.

The Police force in Las Vegas has legal permission to pull over the motorists that engage in any erratic behavior and then order the motorists to submit a certified blood test. Not only are alcohol levels tested, but they will actively measure for cannabis levels in the bloodstream of the motorist. If any milliliter of blood contains the two nanograms of the drug or five of the metabolite, the officer can then deem the motorist unable to maintain safe control of the vehicle. The motorist can then be cited with the regulatory DUI.

Conclusion

The major laws for enabling recreational cannabis for sale in Las Vegas was in effect on July 1, 2017. This resulted in several lines and many happy people outside of the dispensary locations. Since it was the beginning the legal sale of recreational marijuana within city bounds, many people were excited to take advantage of this legalization. There are still tight regulations on the sale and possession of cannabis in Nevada.